Eight years after euthanasia was legalised in the Netherlands, rates have stabilised at the same level as seen before legislation, a study in The Lancet reports.
A review of euthanasia rates in 2010 found that rates had increased after an initial dip, to account for 2.8% of all deaths in the Netherlands. The increase was attributed to an increase in explicit requests from patients for euthanasia, although only half of these were granted.
Euthanasia was mostly undertaken in younger people, cancer patients and in general practice rather than in hospital or nursing homes, the study found.
Of the 6861 cases reviewed for 2010, 475 were classed as euthanasia, 2202 as intensified alleviation of symptoms and 974 as forgoing of life-prolonging treatment.
Rates of physician assisted suicide remained low and the number of cases classed as “ending of life without explicit request” was also low (13) and continued to fall following legalisation of euthanasia.
The study authors say the figures show there has been no expansion of euthanasia to other groups following legalisation.
They say legalisation has improved transparency and enabled patients, relatives and physicians to discuss end-of-life preferences openly. Increased attention on palliative care might also explain the wider use of intensified alleviation of symptoms at the end of life, especially by GPs, they suggest.
Eight years after euthanasia was legalised in the Netherlands, rates have stabilised at the same level as seen before legislation, a study in The Lancet reports.
A review of euthanasia rates in 2010 found that rates had increased after an initial dip, to account for 2.8% of all deaths in the Netherlands. The increase was attributed to an increase in explicit requests from patients for euthanasia, although only half of these were granted.
Euthanasia was mostly undertaken in younger people, cancer patients and in general practice rather than in hospital or nursing homes, the study found.
Of the 6861 cases reviewed for 2010, 475 were classed as euthanasia, 2202 as intensified alleviation of symptoms and 974 as forgoing of life-prolonging treatment.
Rates of physician...